LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1849
To Helen Cochran Cox and Charles Grandison Finney Jr. 4 and 13 December 1849
[Ms in the Henry Cowles Papers, RG 30/27, Oberlin College Archives.]
Helen Cox wrote out these extracts for Henry Cowles to use in his report on "Prof. Finney in
England" in The Oberlin Evangelist, 16 January 1850, page 15. The original letter was written to Helen Cox and C. G. Finney Jr. (see Finney's letter to S. Evans, 11 December 1849 in John Rylands University Library of Manchester).
Extracts from Prof: Finney's last letter home.
Houghton Decr 4th
"The work of the Lord has become more & more
deep & powerful here every day - People come from a
distance sometimes of forty miles to attend our meetings -
The work is still, deep, & terribly searching. It seems
to be breaking up the fountains of the great deep in the
hearts of both saints & sinners. It has become exceed-
ingly difficult to leave here; the interest has become so
great & general; but I am under an engagement to go
to Birmingham and must leave the work in the hands
of the Lord. The state of things in England
is very much as it was in our own country when I began
to preach. This Revival takes on the same type as
those which occurred under my labors 20 years since.
The Lord seems to have a wide door here. Whether
my help health will allow me to labor long at this rate I
know not. Will you request the praying people
there to pray for England & for us. We have labored here
about three weeks. Your mother's hands as well as my
own are full of labors & God is greatly bel blessing her efforts.
She holds meetings with the women & is doing great good
under God. Ninety persons came, in the rain
last Friday evening from the a village seven miles distant.
Several of the principal persons in that village have been
hopefully converted in our meetings.
I have been to London twice & have preached twice each time. They want me to go there
[page 2]
& labor but I must first go to Birmingham as it seems
to me.
Dec 13th Birmingham.
I have preached here one Sabbath & three evenings
this week. Congregations solemn, but I have as yet
applied no test to ascertain the state of feeling."
Footnote:
This was 1849.